Life saving vest



- Aug. 18, 1931. A. LEHMANNQ LIFE SAVING VEST Filed Oct. 16, 1930 awmte A-Lekmarzrz 351 bid flame/1 3 J Patented Aug. 18, 1931 UNITED STATES ALBERT LEHMANN, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK LIFE SAVING vEsT Application fi1ed October 16, 1930.

The main object of this invention is to provide a device which can be conveniently wrapped about the torso and can be selectively inflated with air to buoy a person upon a liquid medium.

Another object of the invention is to provide a life-saving vest which may be wrapped about the torso of a person, and is constructed of a plurality of inflated cells which are independently inflated so that in the event of the puncture of one of the cells the remaining cells still are eflective.

The above and other objects will become apparent in which characters of reference refer to like-named parts in the drawings.

Referring briefly to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the life-saving vest.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional elevational view of one of the by-passes for inflating the outer cells of the vest. V

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through a valve showing the push-button operated means for deflating the outer cells.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional elevational view of the mouthpiece valve.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a neck girdle which 3 has its end secured to one of a pair of plates 11 and 12. The stated plates are formed of elastic rubber and the edges thereof are cemented to each other toform a chamber which is divided into a trio of cells 13, 14 and 15. The central cell 14 has a main inflation tube 16 projecting therefrom at the outer extremity of which a cylindrical valve body 17 is located. The valve body is provided with a port 18 which extends throughout the entire body. This body is provided with helical threads 19 which are engaged by the threaded portion of a cylindrical cap 20 whose roof 21 has a plurality of ports 22 therein. The said ports are offset from the passageway 18 so that when the cap 20 is screwed down hard upon the body 17 a non communicating fit between the ports 22 and the passageway 18 is had. The main inflation tube l6-has a pair of by-passes 23 and 24 communicating therewith. These by- Serial No. 489,036.

passes extend to the outer cells 13 and 15 of the life-saving vest and at their extremities are provided with individual valve members which do not permit the return of air. The valve structure comprises a threaded flange 25 engaged by a threaded cap 26, which latter is provided with a bore in which a spheroid 27 is movable. The lug 28 of the valve member is secured in the by-pass conduit 29 at a position where the conduit enters the cells 13 and 15. The member embodying portions 25 and 28 of thedevice has a passageway 30 passing therethrough which is topped and closed by the spheroid 27, the latter being retained in such closing position by a coil spring 31. At the corners of the outer plate 12 of the device a pair of pushbutton operated valves communicate with the cells 13 and'15. A valve body 32 having a threaded shank is secured in an aperture in the plate 12 of the life-saving vest-by a flange cap 33, which latterthreadedly engages the threaded extension of-member 32. A second cylindrical body 34 threadedly engages member 32 and is permanently secured thereto. WVithin the chamber 35 of member 34 a ball 36 is movably located above the port 37. This ball is connected by a shank 38 to a push-button slot 39 and is urged up into seated position over the opening 37 by a resilient finger 40.

On the opposing sides of the life-saving vest ears 41 are formed. These ears continue from the cemented plates 11 and 12 of the life-saving vest and have eyelets 42 therein to one of which a raveled girdle 43 is secured when the device is not in use.

The device is adapted to serve as a lifesaving member for buoying a body upon the surface of the sea in a sure manner. The life-saving vest provides a plurality of cells 13, 14 and 15. These cells are inflated completely independent of each other and should one of these cells become punctured, the remaining cells will function and become inflated through the operation of the valves. In order to inflate the trio of cells simultaneously, the valve illustrated in Figure 5 is opened by rotating member 20 upon the threads 19 of the body 17 until a gap exists between the ports 22 and the passageway 18. By holding member 20 within the mouth, air is urged into the conduit 16 thereby inflating the cell 14 through the passageway 44, and .si-

imultaneously inflating cells 13 and 15 through the conduits 23 and 24, which latter inflate the outer cells 13 and 15 of the device. The air may not return into the conduit ch ambers 29 as the spheroid 27 seats upon the opening 30 of members 28 and 25. In the event that deflation of the outer cells 13 and 15 is required the selective push-button 39 in the valve members 34 are depressed. This will raise the ball 36 from the opening 37 and permit the air to be exhausted through the passageway and thence into atmosphere through the openings 37 from A bodies 34.

It is to be noted that certain changes in form and construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

In a device of the class described, a pair of plates having their marginal edges secured to each other and secured intermediate their length, said plates forming chambers, a main inflation tube said chambers being arranged side by side, said structure having an opening therein, a ball normally closing said opening, a straight resilient finger secured to said structure and said ball, said finger yieldably retaining said ball in normally closed position over said opening, said resilient finger holding said ball definitely in position aligned with said opening when seated or unseated, a shank on said ball loosely mounted in said opening of said structure, and a push button mounted on said shank and adapted to be depressed to unseat the ball for deflating said outer chambers.

In testimony whereof I atflx my signature.

ALBERT LEHMANN. 

